Fire-telegraph repeater



(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 1. F. A. SKELTON. FIRE TELEGRAPH REPE-ATER.

No. 596,250. Patented Dec. 28,1897.

(No Model.) 3 6 sheets-sheet 2.

.P. A. SKELTO N. FIRE TELEGRAPH REPEATER.

No. 596,250. Patented Dec. 28, 1 897.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets$he'et 3.

PA, vSKELTO FIRE TELEGRAPH REP R.

' No. 596,250. Patented Dec. 28,1897.

(No Model.) I 6 SheetsSheet 4.

P. A. SKELTON.

FIRE TELEGRAPH REPEATER. No. 596,250. Patented Dec. 28,1897.

(No Model.)

- 6 SIREN/T511661; 5. P. A. SKELTON. FIRE TELEGRAPH REPEATER.

Patented Dec. 28, 1897. f .Bg zz f SNQENTEIR J.

WITNEEEEE.

(No Model.) '6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

P.A. SKELTON.

\ FIRE TELEGRAPH REPEATER, No. 596,250. Patented Deo. 28, 1897.

WITNEEEEE V? INVENTUR UNITED STATES V ATENT @nricn.

FRANCIS A. SKELTON, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEGAMEWELL-FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEYV YORK.

FIRE-TELEGRAPH REPEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 596,250, dated December28, 1897. application filed July 3, 1898. Serial No.479,4'77. (NomodeL)To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS A. SKELTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newton, county of Middlesex, and State of Massa-- chusetts,have invented 'cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Repeaters forSignaling- Telegraph Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems of electric telegraphing such as thatemployed for firealarm purposes; and it consists in what is known as arepeater that is, an apparatus placed at a. central station from Whichlines radiate to different parts of the district to be protected, suchan apparatus being provided with a number of controlling-magnets placedin the respective circuits, and a number of clock-trains which act upona signal being sent over any line to repeat such signal over the otherlines and at the same time to lock the controlling-magnets of the otherlines in order that no interfering-signal can be sent. Such an apparatusis illustrated in my Patent No. 415,578, dated November 19, 1889; and mypresent invention consists in an improved apparatus of the same generaltype, several improved details being added tending to make the operationof the apparatus more certain. There has also been added a switchboardfor disconnecting the repeater entirely from the series of circuits andfor ef- "fecting other important changes in the connections of theVarious circuits both within and without the instrument itself. I havealso provided means for sending out signals upon one or more short opencircuits leading to special points where it is desirable to have thesignals givensuch, for instance, as the residence of the variousofficers of the-fire department. I have, lastly, provided means wherebyat the termination of a signal a special battery is momentarily includedin all of the circuits successively to make sure that the signal-boxesare left in good order after a signal has been repeated, this featurebeing specially adapted to signal-boxes provided with non'interferencemagnets.

The features of my present improvement will be more definitely pointedout. hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this specification and forming apart thereof, Figure 1 is an elevation showing my completed apparatus.Fig. 2 is also an elevation showing the same apparatus from the oppositeside, but with the clock-trains and signal-cylinders removed. Figs. 3and 4 are elevations of one of the line-magnets and its immediateattachments from opposite points of View, respectively. Fig. 5 is adetail plan of the battery contact-cylinder; and Fig. 6 is a developmentof the same, showing the elec tric al connections Fig. '7 is a'plan Viewof the signaling contact-cylinder; and Fig. 8 is a development of thesame, showing the connections. Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 are details ofthe contact-cylinders. Figs. 13, 14c, and 15 show the line-magnets withthe parts in different positions. Fig. 16 is a detail of therelay-contacts controlled by the linemagnets. Fig. 17 shows in detailthe contacts controlling the circuit of the time-stamp. Figs. 18, 19,and 20 are details of the clock mechanism, and Fig. 21 is a diagram ofthe circuits.

Before entering upon a detailed description of the apparatus it may bewell to give a general outline of the mechanism and its mode ofoperation. There are, in the first place, a number of line-magnetsincluded in the respective circuits, these magnets being duplicates ofone another and normally retaining their armatures in the attractedposition, as the several circuits in which they are normally includedare closed circuits. It is the function of these magnets whenever asignal is being sent on any line, thereby causing a series ofinterruptions in the, continuity of the line-circuit, to start the clockmechanism, which immediately operates to lock the armatures of theremaining magnets, and also to switch the several inactive circuits ontoa common signaling contact-cylinder, which is permitted to rotate onceeach time that the circuit of the acting line is broken, and therebyinterrupt in a corresponding manner the circuits of all the inactivelines, so as to reproduce therein the same signal which is beingtransmitted on the active circuit. There are in the whole apparatus fourdistinct clocktrains. vThe first of these is the startingtrain, which iscontrolled directly bya rockshaft common to all of the line-magnets, so

as to be actuated by the armature of any one of them which maybecomedeenergized. The second train is the time-train, which is kept incontinuous operation during the whole time that a signal is being sentand which controls the third train, which is known as the locking train.The function of the locking-train is to bring certain stops against thearmatures of all the inactive magnets and hold them against retraction,so that no interferin g signal can be sent. The fourth train is thebattery-train, which operates the contact-cylinder of the supplementarybattery and which is also controlled by the timetrain, so that thesupplementary battery may be thrown upon all of the lines at thetermination of the signal which is being transmitted.

Referring now to Fig. 1, A A represent two line-magnets, which areduplicates and which may be increased in number to correspond with thenumber of circuits, two being shown and described herein for the purposeof illustration.

1 is the armature of the magnet, which is carried by a lever 2, having anotch or hook at its upperend. (Best illustratedin Fig. 4.)

Referring to the latter figure for further details, B is a rock-shaft,hereinafter referred to as the resetting-shaft, which extends alon ginfront of all of the magnets and is pro vided at each magnet with an arm3, carrying the set-screw 4, against which the lever-arm 2 impinges whenthe circuit of any magnet is broken and its armature is retracted by astrong spring. (Shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15.) O is a second shaftparallel with B, but placed above theanagnets and directly over theirarmatu res. This shaft C carries at each magnet a small eccentric 5,upon which is depending an angle-lever 6, having on the inner edge ofits vertical part a long notch or slot, the said vertical partterminating opposite the notch or hook in the upper end of lever 2 andheld normally against the lever by means of the spring 7, assisted bythe weight of the horizontal part of the lever. D is a third shaftparallel with B and C, but placed back of the magnets and carrying aseries of arms 8, which have springtips, each adapted to bear against alever E, which extends parallel with the cores of the magnets A, at anintermediate point between them, and which is provided with anadjustable weight 9 at its rear end adapted to overbalance the weight ofthe long arm of the lever. The shaft D also acts as a resetting-shaftand will be hereinafter referred to as the second resettingshaft. Thelonger arm of leverE terminates in a hook normally held directly abovethe end of the corresponding hook on the tip of lever 2, so as to engagetherewith under certain conditions. Each magnet carries a block ofinsulating material 10, upon which is secured a contact-spring 11, thatnormally remains in contact with a peculiarly-shaped lever 12, pivotedin the same block 10 at a point below the spring 11. The details of thisfeature are shown in Fig. 16, which is a section of the block 10,showing the spring 11 secured to its upper surface and the lever 12pivoted in the block and provided with a spring normally pressing itsouter end upward against spring 11. The lever 12 is located just besidethe angle-lever (5 and just beneath a pin 13 upon said lever, so thatwhen the angle-lever 6 is depressed by the rotation of shaft C andeccentric 5 the pin 13 bears down upon lever 12, impinging upon iteither behind or in front of its inclined tip, according as the verticalpart of angle-lever 6 is turned inward toward the magnet by means ofspring 7 or is turned outward away from the magnet by the retraction ofarmaturedever 2.

Referring now to Figs. 13, 14, and 15, the operation of the parts thusfar described can be readily understood. The normal condition of theparts is that shown in Fig. 15, with the armature-lever 2 attracted andthe ec centric 5 holding the angle-lever 6 in its uppermost position.Assuming now that the magnet A of Fig. 15 is included in the activecircuit, the first break caused by the signal will deenergize the magnetand permit the retraction of lever 2 by means of the strong spring shownin dotted lines. The tip of lever 2 will impinge upon the lower end ofthe vertical part of lever 6 and force it outward away from the 1n agnet. The same movement of lever 2 will force arm 3 in the same direction,and thereby in the manner to be hereinafter described will start a trainof clockwork, driving shaft (1, upon which is the eccentric 5. The shaft0 first makes a little more than one-half a turn and is then held inthat position, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, until the signal iscompleted. This forces the an gle-lever 6 directly downward by theaction of eccentric 5, and it will be clear that the effect of thismovement of the angle-lever will be different at the active magnet fromwhat it is at the other magnets, because in the former its lower end hasbeen forced to the right or away from the magnet by the movement oflever 2, while no such change in its position has taken place at theother magnets. The sit-nation at an inactive magnet is illustrated inFig. 13, while the situation at an activemagnet is illustrated in Fig.14. Referring to the former figure, it will be observed that themovement of anglelever (5 has forced the hooked end of lever E down intoengagement with thenotch or hook of lever 2, this being caused by theengagement of the shoulder on tlie vertical part of lever 6 with aspring on the outer end of lever E, and it will also be observed thatthe pin 13 has engaged with the slightly-curved upper surface of the tipof contact-lever 12 and forced it out of connection with spring 11. Twothings therefore have been accomplished: First the lever 2 has beenlocked, so that it will not fall back even if its magnet A should becomedeenergized, and in the second placevthe interruption of contact between11 and 12 has shifted the circuit from each inactive magnet onto thecommon signaling contact-cylinder to be hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 14, in which the situation at the active magnet isillustrated, it will be observed that .the lever 2 has fallen awaywithout being caught by the hook on the end of lever E and that the pin13 has engaged with the outer inclined side of the tip 'of lever 12 andthereby has failed either to break the connection between 11 and 12 orto depress the outer end of lever E.' The result of this is that theactive magnet remains in its own circuit and continues to respond to themakes and breaks causedby the signal which is being transmitted.

A description will be given hereinafter of the manner in which the partsalready described are reset to their original positions after a signalhas been sent.

Referring now to Fig. 1, thcshaft B carries a lever 14, the outer end ofwhich is connected by link 15 with a lever F, upon which is a pin 16,connecting with an arm 18 on shaft 17 and thereby forming a stop for thestartingt-rain. This lever F, as shown in Fig. 2, is pivoted 'on theshaft parallel to shafts 17 and 21 and, like them, reaching from oneside frame to the other. The starting-train is .driven bya weight (notseen) attached to the cord 19, wound upon drum 20 on shaft 21. Upon thissame shaft is a large gear-wheel 22, driving a pinion 23 on shaft 17. Bythis arrangement each retraction of armature-lever 2 will turn shaft B,raise lever-arm 14, and thereby permit an offset on the lower end ofstop-arm 18 to pass under pin 16, so that the shaft 17 can make onecomplete rotation each time that the circuit of the active magnet isbroken. On the outer end of shaft17 are two cams 24 and 25. At eachrotation of the shaft the latter cam engages with a roller 26 on aprojection from lever F and forces it down, so as to bring the pin 16 ina position to engage with arm 1.8 and thereby stop the starting-train.The cam 24, which is much larger, engages inthe same manner with aroller 27 on the end of a curved lever 28, which in turn is pivoted towhat may be called a releasing-sector G. This sector is shown in Fig.18. In this figure H is the terminal or releasing shaft of thelocking-train driven by a cord upon drum 29, Fig. 1. Upon this shaft aretwo radial arms 30 and 32, each havinga projection adapted to passthrough a notch 31 in the flange of sector G when the notch comesopposite the projection. The arm 32 is somewhat longer than the arm 30.Now, as above described, the curved lever 28 is thrown up by the largecam 24. The sector G is depressed so that the notch 31 comes oppositethe projection on the end of arm 30. This permits the shaft. H to make apartial rotation until the projection on arm 32,which, it will beremembered, is longer than the arm 30, comes into engagement with theflange of the sector at a point above the notch 31. The arms 30 and 32are so adjusted relatively to each other that the shaft II makessomething more than one-half a rotation.

Referring to Fig. 19, it will be seen thaton the shaft H is abevelgear-wheel 33, engaging with a similar wheel on shaft 0. Upon the shaft0, as above described, are eccentrics 5, which actuate angle-levers 6.These eccentrics, partaking of the movement of shaft H, make somewhatmore than a half-turn upon the starting of the train, the object of thisarrangement being that the second part of the rotation of the eccentricsmay be assisted by the upward pressure of lever E and lever 12. On thesame shaft H is a disk. 34, having a portion of its periphery cut away.Against this disk normally rests a spring 35, which forms an extensionfrom the pendulum 36, connected to the pallet 37, engaging withescape-wheel 38 of the time-train. The timetrain is fully seen in Fig.1, being operated bya weighted cord 39 acting on the drum 40, the forceof the weight being transmitted to the escape-wheel 38. The drum 40 iscarried by a shaft 41, and from this shaft 41 extends radially thecurved arm 28. When by the operation of the locking-train abovedescribed the disk 34 on shaft H is given one-half a turn, the portionof its periphery which is cutaway comes opposite the spring 35 andthereby releases the escapement of the time-train. As the time-trainruns it tends to turn the curved lever 28 back into the position shownin Fig. 1 after the said lever 28 has been thrown up by the large cam24. The period of time that must elapse before the lever 28 is broughtto its normal position is definitely adjusted. It must be remembered,however, that the cam 24 rotates at each impulse of the active signaland each time it throws the arm 28 outward, so that it is only after thesignal has been completed that the arm 28 is finally allowed to comeback to its normal resting-place. It must also be remembered that thecurved arm 28 controls the position of the sector G and that a definitetimeafter the signal has been completed the sector G is brought intosuch a position that the arm 32, which has been resting against theflange of the sector during the reception of the signal, comes oppositethe notch 31. The locking-train, which has made only a partial rotation,completes its movement, thereby restoring the parts to their normalcondition. The stop, with the arm 30 resting against the flange ofsector G, is shown in Fig. 18.

In Fig. 20 I have shown a modified form of the disk 34. Instead ofhaving a long notch out into the periphery of the disk, as shown in Fig.19, the disk has a gibbous-form, which gives more freedom to theescapement of the time-train and insures that thespring 35 is nevercaught in the corners of the notches.

It will be observed that as thus far described the breaking of thecircuit of'one magnet has released the starting-train, which in turn hasreleased the locking-train to lock the armatures of the other magnetsand switch the current from them, while the locking-train in its turnhas released the time-train, and referringto Fig. 2 it will be seen thatthe locking-train also releases the fourth train namely, thebattery-train. For this purpose there is on the inner end of shaft H acrankdisk 42, upon which is a pin engaging with a slot on lever t3. Onthe opposite end of the lever are two pins 44: and 45, the latter ofwhich normally engages with a corresponding pin upon wheel 46, which isthe escapementwheel of the battery-train. It will be remembered that thelocking-train has a partial movement at the beginning of the signal andis then held against movement until the signal is completed, when itcompletes its movement to reset the parts in their original position.The first movem ent of the lockingtrain depresses the inner end of lever43,which releases in turn the wheel 46, but the wheel makes only aslight movement while its stoppin is passing from pin 45 to pin 44:.hen, however, the locking train completes its movement the wheel 46 isreleased and makes nearly a complete turn. There is on the same shaftwith wheel 46 a contact-cylinder, which will be described in detailhereinafter, which also makes a complete turn and thereby throwsmomentarily an additional battery into each line. It should also beobserved that on shaft 17, which forms the escape-shaft of thestarting-train, there is a cam 47, (best seen in Fig. 2,) which at eachrotation depresses the end of lever 48, which is connected by link 49and arm 50 to the second resettingshaft D, so that at each break theshaft and resetting-arms 8 are depressed to force downward into theirnormal position the levers E. The shape of cam 47 is such that thelevers E are depressed, and then the arms 8 slightly lifted to allow thelevers E to rise when released. By this means if the line should not bepromptly closed, but should be left open, the armature-lever of theactive magnet, which it must be remembered is free, will be caught bythe hook on the end oflever E, and the train will not be started again.This part of the apparatus therefore acts as an additional resettingdevice for locking the armature of the active magnet until it is certainthat the current therein is restored. This may be best understood fromFig. 14, where the active magnet is shown with the circuit broken. Thefirst thing that occurs before the circuit is closed is the action ofshaft B and arm 3, which forces the armature up to the poles of themagnet. Then the second resettingshaft D acts to depress arm 8 andbrings lever E down, so that when the arm 3 is withdrawn armature-lever2 is caught by the hook 011 the end of lever E. Then follows the closingof the circuit, which draws up the armature and releases the hook on theend of lever E, and the lever rises slightly, the depressing-arm 8 beingwithdrawn. This brings the parts in the position shown in Fig. 15,except that the angle-lever 6 remains in the position shown in Fig. 14,and the apparatus is ready for the second break in the signal. Of courseit will be understood that these actions take place very rapidly, butthey have a definite order, although the eye cannot follow it. Thiscompletes the description of the mechanism,with the exception of thecontactcylinders to be mentioned later.

The circuits and arrangement of the switches which intervene between thelines and the instrument are shown in Fig. 21. The normal condition ofcircuits and switches is that shown in the drawings, and under thesecircumstances the several signal-circuits radiate from the repeater, andalso in the same manner a number of bell or alarm circuits, so that anysignal received upon any line is repeated on all of the othersignal-circuits and also upon the bell-circuits. It is possible,however, to make several changes in this normal arrangement by suitableshifting of the switches. For instance, if for any reason the repeaterbecomes disabled it is desirable that all of the circuits, bothsignal-circuits and bell -circuits, be disconnected from the repeaterand connected seriat'im in one long circuit. By this means they can alloperate as usual, but with diminished force and with all the multipliedchances of derangement inherent in a widely-extended series circuit.This series arrangement of the several circuits will be hereinafterreferred to as the second condition, the normal condition beingconsidered as the first. A third condition which may be established bysuitable movement of the switches is one in which the bell-circuits areall'thrown into one circuit and the signalingcircuits into another, therepeater being left out. Under these circumstances the signaling-circuits can be tested in any desired manner without ringing thealarm-bells and the alarm-circuit tested without affecting thesignal-circuits. Lastly, when the circuits are in condition threevarious modifications can be made for special purposes.

By means of the changes above described it is possible to easily keepthe lines and the instrument in proper working order without anyinterruption of the service.

Before describing the circuits in detail it may be mentioned that theswitches K K are simply circuit-breaking switches which may be usedunder the several conditions of the circuit to cause a make and breakfor the purpose of testing. The switches M M control, respectively, thelines 66 and 68, leading to the contact-springs a and a and the lines 67and 69, leading to the contact-springs (1, and a These contaet-springscorrespond to the hell or alarm circuits hereinafter described, and,according to the position of the switches M M, these alarm-circuits areconnected to or disconnected from the repeater. In the same manner theswitches U U control, respectively, the lines 78 and 80, leading to thecontact-springs e and c and the lines 79 and 81, leading to the contactsprings g and 9 These contact-springs are the ones pertaining to thesignal-circuits hereinafter described,

and, according to the position of the switches U and U, these circuitsmay be connected to or disconnected from the repeater. In a similarmanner the switches S S control, respectively, the lines 64 and 65,leading to the contact-springs e and g so that the supplementary'battery may be brought into the respective circuits or not, according tothe position of the switches S S. The main controlling- .switches are LL and'T T, together with the alarm plug switches and the signalplugswitches at the top of the drawings.

First or normal c0nchtz'0n.The switches are turned to theleft, as shownin Fig. 21, with alarm-plugs 61 and 62 and signal-plugs 61 and 62 inplace. ure are shown two signal-circuits, with the boxes marked each bya small cross, and parallel therewith, respectively, two alarm or bellcircuits, with the bells marked by small circles. One signal -circuitand its corresponding alarm-circuit is marked as, and the othersignal-circuit, with its corresponding alarm-circuit, is marked y. Thea: signalcircuit has its two terminals at e and f, and, starting at e,the normal circuit is to plate of lightning arrester 6, battery Q, tospring 11, switch S, contact-spring e e of the battery contact-cylinder,to switch U, to switch T, lightning-arrester plate f, to terminal f. Acorresponding circuit will be found to exist for the signal-circuit y,having its terminals at g and h, except that as the circuit y issupposed to be inactive the connection will be broken between 11 and12*, for if one of these two circuits should be transmitting a signal itwill be found, as above described, that at the magnet of the activecircuit contact will be maintained between the springs 11 and 12, whileat all of the other inactive magnets the contact will be broken betweenthese two springs and maintained broken during the transmission of thesignal. Therefore, referring again to the signaling-circuit 00, justtraced in detail, it will be noted that if contact between 11 and 12 isinterrupted the circuits will be from battery Q-to the contact-springs eand e of the signaling-circuit cylinder, thence directly to switch Uand, as before described, to the opposite terminal f. As contact between11 and 12 is thus interrupted, the y signal-circuit is shown as taking acorresponding route. The effect of this is that the magnet of therepeater corresponding to the active circuit is maintained in the line,while at all of the other circuits the magnet is cut out and thecontact-springs of the signaling contact-cylinder are brought into theline, the result being that as each impulse of the signal affects themagnet of the repeater corresponding to the circuit on which the signalis being transmitted and in At the bottom of the fig-' the manner abovedescribed causes one rotatlon of the signaling contact-cylinder the saidcylinder will cause a make and break in each of the inactive circuitsfor every imat the signaling-cylinder the supplementary battery will bemomentarily brought into the several circuits successively, causing astrong impulse of current that will insure the restoration of thearmatures of the non-interference magnets of the boxes along the line.The detailed construction of the contact-cylinder will be givenhereinafter. In this same Fig. 21 are shown two small circuits w and 2,which include a number of special bells at the residences of theofficers of the fire department or at any other point where a specialnotification of an alarm is desired. These lines are normally open, butat each rotation of the signaling-cylinder they are momentarily andsuccessively closed through local battery W. The detailed description ofthe contact-cylinder which will be hereinafter given will explain themanner in which these circuits are closed. The alarm or bell circuit 0:,which is understood to traverse the same district as signal-circuit 0cand include bells at various points, has its two terminals at a b, andthe circuits may be traced from a to lightning-arrester plate a, battery0, contactsprings a and a (which normally rest on a conducting-plate onthe contact-cylinder, so that the circuit between them is alwaysnormally closed,) thence to switch M, to switch L, to switch K,lightning-arrester plateb, to terminal I), while a similar circuit maybe traced for the alarm-circuit y.

Second condition-To produce this condition, throw the alarm-switches L Land M M to the right, as shown by the dotted lines, then throw thesignal-switches T T and U U in the same manner, and, lastly, pull outboth plugs 62. The switches S S can be thrown or not, according as it isdesired to exclude or include the supplementary battery. All thecircuits will then be in series, as will appear from tracing them indetail. Starting at lightning-arrester plate e, which is the terminal ofthe signal-circuit 0c, the circuit will be as follows: battery Q, switchT, plate h, signal-circuit y, plate 9, battery R, plate 76 of the signalplug-switch, plate 75 of the same switch, plate 74 of the alarmplug-switch, switch L, switch K, plate I), alarm-circuit 00, plate a,battery 0, switch L, switch K, plate 01, alarm-circuit y, plate 0,battery P, plate 73 of the alarm-switch, plate 72 of the same switch,plate 77 of the signal plug-switch, switch T, plate f, which is theopposite terminal of the signal-circuit 00. In this condition thecircuit can be made and broken by ICC the switch K. The rcpeateris cutout by the switches M and M and the switches U and U, and thesupplementary battery is out out by the switches S and S. By means ofthis arrangement any accident to the repeater will not interrupt thecircuit, as by throwing the switches as above described a seriesconnection of all the circuits will be made, so that they may stilloperate, but under less favorable conditions than when the repeater isin use.

T hird 00nd atom-Alarms are in one circuit and the signals in anotherindependent circuit. Throw the switches for condition two and pull outplugs 61. The signal-circuit will then be as follows: plate 6, batteryQ, switch T, plate 7L, signal-circuit y, plate g, battery R, plate 76 ofthe signal plug-switch, plate 77 of the same switch, switch T to platef, which is the opposite terminal of the signaleircuit as. The hell oralarm circuit will be as follows: plate a, terminal of alarm-circuit a,battery 0, switch L, switch K, plate cl, alarm-circuit y, plate 0,battery P, plate 7 3 of alarm plug-switch, plate 74 of the same switch,switch L, switch K, to plate I), which is the opposite terminal ofalarm-circuit a3. Under this condition three modifications can beeffected by moving the switches M and M or U and U to include therepeater or. by moving the switches S and S to include the supplementarybattery.

Having now described the circuits with the various switches and thecombinations which may be effected thereby, I will describe in detailthe two contact-cylinders, as their function may now be clearlyunderstood. Figs. 5 to 12 illustrate these cylinders. Referring to Figs.5 and 0, which illustrate the supplementary-batter contact-cylinder asadapted for several more circuits than are shown in Fig. 21, the formerfigure shows a plan of the cylinder as it actually is constructed andthe latter figure shows the surface of the cylinder developed in aplane. In these figures the cylinders are made up of a series ofconducting and insulating disks. The conducting-disks are two kinds,referred to hereinafter as bat tery-disks and contact-disks, while thebattery-disks are of two kinds corresponding to the oppositeterminals-namely, the positive-battery disks and "negative-batterydisks. The former class of battery-disks are marked B B &c., and thelatter class are marked 0 0 &c., while the contactdisks are marked D Dthe. Of the positive-battery disks B is a plain disk, which is always incontact with the positive terminal of battery V by means of spring 83,resting thereon. The remaining positive disks B B 850.,

are of the form shown in Fig. 11 and placed side by side, so as to be inelectrical connection with each other and with the disk 13. Each ofthese has a projecting lug E at one point in its periphery, as shown inFig. 11, and the disks are so arran ged on the insulated shaft of thecylinder that the lugs E E E 850., form a diagonal line, as shown inFig. 6. A contact-sprin g is provided for each of these disks, butnormally out of contact therewith, being, however, brought intoconnection momentarily whenever a projection E passes under thecorresponding spring. The negative-battery disks are of a somewhatsimilar shape, as shown in Fig. 9, butare smaller and are inclosedwithin a corresponding contactdisk D, but entirely insulated therefromand having at one point in their periphery an insulated projection whichextends outward through an opening within disk D and has aslightly-inclined outer surface. The contactdisks D D D D ,&c.,areinsulated from each other and are so arranged upon the shaft of thecylinder that the disks 0 0 C &c.,where they project through therespective openings in D D D &c., shall have a diagonal line, as shownin Fig. 6. The negativebattery disks are all in electrical connectionwith each other, the terminal disk C being different from the others inthat it is a plain disk, with a spring 84 resting constantly upon it andestablishin g connection between it and the negative-battery terminal B.Upon each of the contact-disks D D D &c., are two contact springs,forming the respective terminals of the circuits leading thereto.Comparing Figs. 5 and 6 with the diagram of Fig. 21 it will be seen thatthe two contact-swings e and a, forming the terminals of the circuitsbrought to the contact-cylinder, rest normally upon the contact-disk Dand are short-eircuited thereby. The spring a however, is connected to asimilar spring 85, adapted to come in contact with projecting lug E, andin the same manner the contact-springs and rest normally upon thecontact-disk D, and are thereby in electrical connection with eachother, while 9 is connected with a corresponding spring 86, adapted tocome in contact with projecting lug E. Let us assume now that thecylinder is given a complete rotation. Upon the first movement therewill be no change in the connection thus far described until theprojecting lug on negative battery disk C comes under contact-spring 6thereby lifting it out of connection with contact-disk D and momentarilyputting it in connection with the negative terminal of battery V. At thesame moment the positive-battery disk B comes in contact with the spring85, connected to spring a and the circuit will be as follows: frombattery V to spring 83, disk 13, disk B projecting lug E, spring 85,spring 0 line-circuit, spring a, disk 0, disk 0 spring 84, and thenegative terminal of battery V. It will thus be clear that the batteryis momentarily included in the circuit. In like manner it issuccessively included in the other circuits, and thus the circuitterminating in the contact-springs g g receives in its turn an impulsefrom battery V. Fig. 12 shows the manner in which the various disks arearranged on the shaft, so as to be suitably insulated from and con- IIOnected to one another. The insulation is effected bysuitable washers andbushings, and connection is establishedlby a screw parallel with theshaft-and extending from one disk to another.

We now come to the signalingcontact-cylinder, which is built up in asimilar manner to the cylinder just described. There are three parts ofthis cylinderone for the signaling-circuits,another for thealarm-circuits, and a third for the circuits w 2, which are known astap-circuits.- The first part of the disk is mainly of insulatingmaterial, so that the contact-springs connected to the signal-circuitsare normally out of connection with each other, but a series ofcontact-plates F F F 850., are provided, which at each rotation of thecylinder simultaneously pass under the springs and close the severalcircuits simultaneously. On the second part of the cylinder thecontact-springs normally rest upon conducting-plates G G &c., and as thecylinder rotates these plates pass out from under the contact-springsand open the circuit, closing it again as it comes to rest. In the thirdpart of the cylinder there are two battery-disks H and H similar to thedisks B and O of thebattery-cylinder. Upon these normally rest thesprings 87 and 88,connected, respectively, to the two terminals ofbattery W. The intermediate contact-springs be-.

tween 87 and 88 are connected in pairs to the terminals of thetap-circuits, and as the cylinder rotates the terminals of each circuitare brought into contact with the respective battery-terminals by meansof theprojections H H H and H on the two battery-disks, and thereby thetap-circuits w and z are successively energized by the battery W.

The last feature of. my invention is illustrated in Fig. 17, where theshaft 0 is shown provided with an insulated contact-piece D which ateach rotation of the shaft closes the circuit of a time-stamp D thusindicating the time at whichthe message is received.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a repeater for use with a series of circuits extending from acentral station, the

' the magnets for releasing a clock-train,switchin g and locking devicescontrolled by the said train for locking the inactive magnets andswitching the inactive circuits onto a signaling contact device, whileleaving the active magnet in its normal condition, a resetting deviceacting at each impulse of the signal to restore the armature of theactive magnet and an additional mechanical resetting device connected tothe operating-train in such relation to the main resetting device as tooperate subsequently thereto and lock the said armature after it hasbeen reset until the circuit through said active magnet is completed.

2; The combination with a repeater of a supplementary battery andsuitable contact devices connected to the several circuits forconnecting the supplementary battery in said circuits successively andmomentarily.

3. The combination with a repeater and several circuits extendingtherefrom and connecting with the respective magnets of the repeat-er,of a supplementary-battery contactcylinder therefor with contact-springsconnected to the several circuits, a train for actuating the saidcylinder, releasing devices for the said train controlled at thetermination of the signal to connect the said battery and the severalcircuits successively and momentarily.

at. The combination of depending lever 6 having its lower end in thepath of armature 2, an actuating-train therefor and contactlever 12having a horizontal surface normally beneath .pin 13 on said lever 6 soas to be engaged thereby when lever 6 is in its normal position andhaving an adjacent incline surface placed to engage said pin 13 when thelever 6 is in its outward position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th day ofJune, 1893.

FRANCIS A. SKELTON. [L. .s.]

Witnesses:

A. A. MoBRIDE, A. O. ORNE.

